Hi there, my darlings! You know, as a beauty blogger AND as someone who's pretty obsessed with makeup, the one thing that tends to happen is that I find out about the latest trends pretty quickly. Now, this can be great in some ways, like I usually know when a new product will be launching and have my caffeine/alarm clock/pep talk for myself ready. But this can also have its disadvantages. Apart from the obvious hit to the wallet which I tend to shrug off cos hey, life's short and you gotta just buy what you think is gonna make you happy, there is one other major drawback. And that is that it's really easy to get carried away with all the hype surrounding the latest matte lippie/eyeshadow palette/newfangled hair curler. I can't even tell you how many times I've bought something because, yeah, I got carried away and either ended up hating it or worse, being indifferent to it. Either it just didn't work for my skin tone or it was nice but not something I would reach for. I think there's an entire pile of "stuff I bought and shouldn't have" in one of my dresser drawers. Sigh. But, every once in awhile, I stumble across something, raise a quizzical eyebrow at all the hype, buy it anyways and end up absolutely LOVING it. Today, I'd like to share with you one of "those" products--the Becca Cosmetics Champagne Face Palette created in collaboration with YouTube sensation Jaclyn Hill.

Now, if you haven't heard of this palette yet, here's a little bit about it, from Sephora's website:

What it is:

A limited-edition, iconic face palette, featuring five shades of highlighter and blush—in collaboration with Jaclyn Hill, creator of the original Champagne Pop.

What it does:This palette gives you all the glow you could want—all in one place. This limited-edition, covetable BECCA x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Collection Face Palette features five shades of highlighter and blush to illuminate all skintones, allowing you to customize your looks. Get the iconic Champagne Pop and new shades designed by Jaclyn Hill. It includes two Highlighter shades, two Mineral Blush shades, and a Luminous Blush hue in Rosé Spritz for a pop of color. Mix and match the shades to create endless layers of light and color for your perfect, custom glow. Just sweep the creamy powders across the face, or layer them to highlight your favorite features with universally flattering shades. This palette is perfect for achieving your own, glowing look.

What else you need to know: The Highlighter in the Prosecco Pop is inspired by liquid gold.

IMPRESSIONS: Now, I wasn't fast enough nor determined enough to get this when it launched briefly on Becca's website but you can bet your bottom, I made sure to snag one up as soon as it launched on Sephora! And boy oh boy! Am I glad I did!

As soon as this baby arrived and I took it out its box, I was itching to use it. The packaging itself is gorgeous, in shades of pristine white and beautiful gold but for once, I couldn't wait to get this palette out and start playing with it. Thankfully, I had a wedding that weekend and you better believe this was the first thing I packed! I think I even planned my outfit and accessories around it!

So, is it worth the hype then? Is it highlighter perfection? More importantly, does it show up on my darker skin tone?! Yes, yes and OH YES! Now, I've heard that the eyeshadow palette experienced some issues and had to be pulled from the market but the face palette, and I hope you'll forgive me here, is pure gold!

The larger Highlighter shades apply beautifully--smooth and super blendable, allowing you to go for a subtle shimmer or layer it on for a head-turning glow. The best part for me is that there was minimal, if any fallout, as you can see in the close-up below--I don't know about you but fallout drives me nuts. Not only do I feel like I'm wasting the product but cleanup is a pain in the butt. So, I was super happy that there was so little to deal with.

Now, for the blushes. The matte almond shade (in the middle), I'll be honest, I'm really not a fan of. It's too subtle on my complexion and you can barely see it. But the other two coral shades, both the matte and the shimmer, I LOVE! They're bright, they're flattering, they're utterly gorgeous! And this from the girl for whom NARS Orgasm didn't really do it (barely showed up on my skin). The shimmer is perfect for a day at the beach and the matte coral I totally rocked, with a bit of the shimmer mixed in, at that wedding!

So, ready to see how the palette looked in action? And this is on a cloudy, rainy day at the hotel:

I used Champagne Pop and a combo of Rosé Spritz and Pamplemousse on my cheeks and Prosecco Pop on my eyes, especially on the brow bone and inner corners. Even in the awful, yellow bathroom light, the glow just DID NOT STOP! I can honestly say this palette is one I'll be reaching for time and again, especially during the summer!

So there you have it, my darlings! This palette is currently sold out on both Becca's AND Sephora's websites but keep an eye out in your local stores and online--you just never know!

For more information, don't forget to keep up with Becca Cosmetics through the social media outlets below :

Looks really fabulous on you! Gotta admit, I own about 15 highlighters including the regular Becca Moonshine, Charlotte Tilbury and Koh Gen Do, the last two are my most favorite for when I do makeup on clients.

I am the lab manager for the Science Department of a premier Manhattan high school/early college by day...and a beauty blogger by night! I was born in Calcutta, India but grew up partially in Calcutta and partially in Chicago, Illinois. I'm currently living in Brooklyn, NYC. My zodiac sign is Libra and I'm pretty true to my sign--I have a love for all things beautiful, I'm an extrovert to the core and blogging is a way for me to connect with my aesthetically inclined side!